Internal Medicine Residency Mock Interview
Prepare for 40 Internal Medicine Residency interview questions covering clinical reasoning, patient care philosophy, and program fit.
Question 26 of 40
Do you believe telehealth is an effective form of healthcare delivery?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Example Answer
How to Answer
Example Answer 2
Community Answers
Ryan Brown created and launched MockQuestions in 2008.
While telehealth principles have been applied to patient care for years, it has come to the forefront in recent years. Your interviewers want their future Internal Medicine Residents to have a positive outlook on telehealth and a vision for where it will go in their future down the road as physicians.
Ryan Brown created and launched MockQuestions in 2008.
"I believe it is. Although we are unable to do a physical exam or obtain a patient's vitals, we can sometimes reach patients who would otherwise not be able to access care. In my psychiatry rotation, for example, I had the opportunity to assist in a counseling session and provide a medication refill over a telehealth platform for a young patient who did not want to travel outside due to COVID-19. It was important to discuss with her the risks of using telemedicine, including providing her a prescription refill without an adequate physical exam or assessment of her vitals. Many breakthroughs in at-home monitoring continue to change the game for patients avoiding hospital stays, and I'm sure this trend will continue throughout my career."
Ryan Brunner has over ten years of experience recruiting, interviewing, and hiring candidates in the healthcare, public service, and private manufacturing/distribution industries.
Although telehealth has limitations, including the inability to do a physical exam and obtain vitals, it is a useful way to reach out to patients who otherwise would not be able to get care. For this reason, we must embrace telehealth platforms while recognizing that they are not ideal. Your answer should provide the pros and cons of telehealth, along with any direct examples of its use you are familiar with.
"While telehealth is definitely an important tool and will be here to stay, in-person healthcare delivery is still the most effective means in caring for patients as many things can get overlooked or lost when you can only evaluate a patient through a video screen. Telehealth has been great for increasing access for many previously underserved patients, especially ones that live very far from major medical centers."
Interview Coach
Jaymie
A real coach, not AI. I read every answer myself and write back with personalized feedback.
Typically responds within 24 hours.
0 - Character Count
Anonymous Answer
I think that although a proper physical exam isn’t possible over a Telehealth visit, patient compliance and follow-up are definitely fostered through telehealth. It is a lot easier for a patient to attend a telehealth session than an in-person visit. Further, new technology for home monitoring with devices and smartphones can also augment telehealth- making it a very good option when a visit isn’t strictly required. The risks and limitations of telehealth should be discussed with the patient however- I cannot diagnose something I can't feel or examine.
Marcie's Feedback
Good! You provide a clear explanation of why telehealth can be an effective form of healthcare delivery. Can you delve a bit more into some of the risks and limitations of this type of healthcare, however? This will further strengthen your answer. Nice job!
Unlock All 40 Internal Medicine Residency Questions
Master questions program directors use to evaluate your clinical judgment and training goals.
Get StartedJump to Question